David Flynn is a business travel expert and the editor of Australian Business Traveller.

Many hotels are upgrading their gyms to include more equipment than just exercise bikes and treadmills. Photo: Nic Walker

Business travel and fitness do not go together.

Trust me on this. I’m pretty much a full-time business traveller and a very part-time ‘trying to get fit’ guy.

It’s not just that those trips get in the way of your home routine, but so many aspects of business travel are by nature anti-fitness.

Spending hours sitting in a plane? Tempting spreads at airport lounges and hotel breakfasts, plus those working lunches and dinners? They’re the easiest way to pile on the kilos.

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Keeping fit when you travel doesn’t get any easier when you’re trying to contend with too little sleep due to jetlag or extended working hours.

I find that time is the biggest challenge when I’m travelling. My usual working day is at least 8am to 6pm, but being on the road can easily add a few hours either side.

And no matter how handy it is to have a hotel gym just one short elevator ride away, when you’re getting by with barely five hours’ sleep there’s really no time left over.

Even so, the basics of ‘eat less and move more’ remain the best guidepost for business travellers who want to stay in shape.

Here are six strategies I’m using – or trying to use – to stay fit on the road.

Inflight meals

This is easy enough: most airlines offer at least one healthy dish as a main meal. You can also order a ‘special meal’ in advance rather than rely on the usual “beef or chicken?” choice.

I tend to rely on airport lounges for a more substantial meal and then eat light during the flight. There’s much more variety, especially if you have access to a good first class lounge, and it’s all fresh.

This strategy also works well on long flights with stopovers.

On a recent British Airways flight from London to Sydney via Singapore, for example, it made more sense to skip the ‘breakfast’ served as we approached Singapore and enjoy a freshly- prepared dish of barramundi and cous cous at the Qantas Singapore Lounge before continuing on to Sydney.

Hotel breakfasts

Few meals on your business trip are as geared towards temptation as the morning buffet in a five-star hotel.

Ironically, however, the choice offered by a good breakfast spread works in your favour – provided you didn’t leave your discipline in the room. Scrambled eggs, soggy bacon and Danish pastries don’t put themselves on your plate.

Most hotels can whip up a healthy omelette made to order, with sides of fresh fruit, yoghurt and orange juice … even a piece of wholemeal toast, if you’re not avoiding the morning carbs.

Business lunches and dinners

A business lunch or dinner doesn’t have to mean copious food and booze.

Even if the menu doesn’t seem diet-friendly, be mindful of portion sizes and ask the waiter about leaving off any rich sauces which might otherwise smother your meal.

Add a large salad and a plate of steamed vegies for the table and you’re set.

As for alcohol, it depends on how seriously you’re watching those calories.

I rarely drink at home, but when I travel I’d rather not live like a monk. I limit myself to two standard drinks a day and choose which meals they’ll be served with.

Hotel gyms

Fitness-oriented colleagues tell me that hotels are finally getting serious about their gyms and going beyond the clapped-out bikes and a multi-purpose ‘home gym’ machine.

The best hotel gyms can now match up to slick fitness studios with cross-trainers, ample free weights plus machines and, in some cases, a personal trainer on call.

Just be sure that gym access is included in your room rate, as some US hotels charge extra for using the gym.

Hit the pool

If swimming’s your thing, there are few better ways to stay in shape than a daily swim at the hotel pool.

In fact, a dozen laps can be a perfect way to counter the lethargy of jetlag when you arrive at the hotel. It gets you moving and fires up those feel-good endorphins, which give you that much-needed energy boost, and also spurs your appetite.

Follow the swim with some protein and greens and your body will be in fine form to take you through the rest of the day.

Go for a run or walk

There’s no reason to stay within the confines of the hotel.

A morning amble lets you see the local sights in a healthy way, and many hotels now provide a runner’s map with suggested routes for pounding the pavement.

Want to mix things up a bit more? Search the web to see if the city has any regular morning or evening running meets where you can mingle with locals on a guided group run.

11 comments so far

Yoga. Yoga is good for the reason it can be done in your room on a bath towel. That said, when faced with those closet sized rooms I find myself in on occasion, I decamp to the gym with said bath towel as I am somewhat leery of how clean their yoga mats are.

HI Classy - you won't see me- if you read my comment, I do them at the back of the plane, so no one can see; if you think exercise is 'weird'; then grab that repulsive fat around your jelly-belly; to healthy fit people, that is WEIRD!

What is also weird is sitting in one spot for 12 hours sucking alcohol and eating mush.... enjoy!

Commenter

Marcus Bondi

Location

Beach

Date and time

August 13, 2014, 12:16PM

You go Marcus! I do similar, they cabin crew like some interaction between meal service and always good for a chat while one does a few stretches, twists, squats etc. Also good if you have trouble sleeping, exercise helps to distress the body and get you relaxed for sleep (IMHO anyway). Look forward to seeing you on my next flight for a workout buddy....

Commenter

Paul

Location

Camberwell

Date and time

August 13, 2014, 1:26PM

Cheers Paul! It's amazing how many static/isometric/intense/stretching exercises you can do 'on the 40 sq cm spot' - ! Awesome!

And yes - a chat with the cabin crew is a bonus! Good for you bro; see you up there!!

Commenter

Marcus Bondi

Location

Beach

Date and time

August 13, 2014, 3:35PM

TRX straps - great workout and minimal space required to pack - takes up less room than a jacket.

Tabata - put a few tracks on your phone or download an app, set aside half an hour and you can get a really intense workout in.

Both of these can be done in your hotel room, and you don't even need to take a pair of bulky runners.

Commenter

Jim

Date and time

August 13, 2014, 10:06AM

I recall many years ago flying home from China and looking around the business class cabin on Qantas and I was surrounded by severely overweight men. I was on a path to join them so since that day I have exercised everyday wherever I am in the world. I go for a job in the morning before breakfast - I cannot normally control when the business day ends but I can control when I get up so thats why the morning. It is also a great way to see a new city and to find place to go and to eat. Only in one city in the world have I not been able to run daily and that is in Mumbai and I always stay at a place with a good gym and hop onto the running machine. I have kept this going for 20 years now and it leaves me fit and refreshed for the day ahead and ensures that I maintain the right balance.

Commenter

Michael

Location

Sydney

Date and time

August 13, 2014, 10:16AM

My golden rule is never to eat in the same hotel as I am staying. Go for a walk round the block and find something local - wander the local eat street - anything to get out and build a bit of exercise into the evening. As you can guess I'm not the one to hit the gym.

Commenter

Kim

Location

Sydney

Date and time

August 13, 2014, 12:22PM

Like your style Kim... let's go grab something to eat together. I never eat in the hotel I am staying in.